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"Patient waiting on prescribed medicine when being discharged"

About: Glasgow Royal Infirmary / General Surgery (wards 64, 65, 66,& 67)

(as a relative),

Husband admitted from endoscopy  clinic where receiving his 3 months Halo treatment for overnight to GRI ward 65 as slight bleed and had to be  given iron dosage intravenously. 

Able to go home next day but waiting on medication. However, told could go home and we (family) can collect later which we have done on previous occasions from pharmacy.  Prescription  sent to ward 65  at  lunchtime. Staff were excellent and phoned  to say would let us know when arrived in ward.

However 7pm again staff phoned to say hadn't arrived and tried to trace porter who was to deliver to ward, but can't. Therefore said perhaps wait till tomorrow  as medication not particularly urgent . Now this whole episode raises a few issues for me:

1) should husband have just stayed in ward therefore taking up a much need bed  just to wait for prescription?

2) could a prescription  be given to patient to get at their own pharmacy?

3) porters delivering medications :

One porter? 

Priority delivering? (By Ward? By urgency  as patients need to start taking immediately?)

Contacting  porters: Thought carried radios ? Manager/Supervisor not got their phones? 

I feel this whole procedure needs to be addressed as in our experience it definitely was not working.

I feel that there is a need to have one procedure in place:

1)  either patient stays in ward not allowed to discharge till medication arrives

2) or there is an area at pharmacy used where patients wait to receive medication 

3) or scripts given for patient to collect themselves 

I felt it was very bad organisation and utilizing of people. 

I am thinking I have ordered on Amazon and had a delivery sooner (Yes, I know I paid Amazon for goods and not paying NHS (well not directly) but it's things like this that cause complaints and  can be easily solved if have one system for all to follow.

My thoughts are medication was probably taken to either wrong ward or ward 65 porter told patient has left and script back at pharmacy. Let's see if we can get a proper explanation and quite sure not first to raise this .

Don't like calling this complaint as a  retired NHS employee and family all NHS employees and very proud to be, so let's call this feedback.

I get extremely angry at NHS complaints but some easily solved if someone takes on feedback .

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Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 2 months ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Submitted on 23/02/2024 at 14:26
Published on Care Opinion at 14:27


picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Dancery44

Thank you for taking the time to share your story. I hope that your husband is feeling better. Please accept my apologies for the delays regarding your husband’s prescription.

Regarding the issues you have raised:

Should husband have just stayed in ward therefore taking up a much need bed just to wait for prescription?

We would try to avoid having patient staying in the ward whilst waiting in the ward as this causes delays for other patients who are waiting to be admitted to the ward.

Could a prescription be given to patient to get at their own pharmacy?

Pharmacy are currently testing a system in Glasgow Royal Infirmary where patients discharged from hospital can go to their local community pharmacy to collect their prescription following discharge from hospital. This has had really positive feedback from patients but there are some issues that need rectified before this can be offered routinely. In some wards, pre-dispensed ‘take home’ packs of medicines are available for routinely prescribed medicines. There will be some medicines that will not be suitable for dispensing at community pharmacies.

Porters delivering medications:

The porters routinely deliver medicines to wards after they are dispensed in pharmacy and provide regular delivery slots throughout the day. Pharmacy are looking at a new system which can provide better updates to ward staff on the progress of prescriptions.

Is there is an area at pharmacy where patients wait to receive medication:

There is limited space in the Pharmacy Department and we don’t have an area where patients can wait to collect their medicines, but patients could wait in the Discharge Lounge, if this is considered appropriate by ward staff.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention and please pass on my apologies to your husband for the delay.

Take Care

Nicole

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Update posted by dancery44 (a relative)

Thanks for response and again never a complaint fully understand the" traffic " all hospitals have. Just sometimes having a wee look at things to elevate problems again for staff as well as patients Both go hand in hand.

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 2 months ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Submitted on 23/02/2024 at 16:01
Published on Care Opinion at 16:01


picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Dancery44

We appreciate feedback from our patients and their families as it let's us know where things aren't working well and how we can improve this. On the plus side, it can also help identify areas of good practice.

Thanks for getting in touch.

Have a good weekend

Nicole

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